Vegan Lemon Roll Recipe

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This Vegan Lemon Roll recipe makes soft, fluffy sweet rolls filled with a buttery lemon sugar filling and finished with a tangy lemon glaze. If you love the combination of sweet and citrusy flavours, these lemon rolls are a fresh twist on classic cinnamon rolls and are perfect for spring, summer or whenever you’re craving something bright and zesty.

TL;DR

• Soft and fluffy vegan lemon sweet rolls
• Filled with buttery lemon sugar and fresh lemon zest
• Finished with a zingy lemon glaze
• Great for brunch, dessert or afternoon tea
• Can be made ahead and baked fresh
• Ready in around 2 hours 35 minutes

Vegan Lemon Roll Recipe

Ingredients

For the Dough

• Soya milk
• Vegan butter
• Instant dried yeast
• Plain flour
• Caster sugar
• Salt

For the Lemon Filling

• Vegan butter
• Light brown sugar
• Fresh lemon zest
• Fresh lemon juice

For the Lemon Glaze

• Fresh lemon juice
• Icing sugar

How to Make Vegan Lemon Roll Recipe

Start by preparing the enriched dough by combining the warm soya milk, melted vegan butter and sugar before sprinkling over the yeast. Leave it to activate before mixing in most of the flour and the salt. Knead until smooth, then leave the dough to rise until doubled in size.

After the first rise, knead in the remaining flour and allow the dough to rest briefly before rolling it into a large rectangle.

Spread the softened vegan butter over the dough, then cover with the brown sugar. Sprinkle the lemon zest evenly across the surface before drizzling over the fresh lemon juice. Gently spread everything together to create a fragrant lemon filling.

Roll the dough tightly into a log, slice into 12 equal rolls and arrange them in a lined baking tin. Leave them to rise again until puffy before baking until lightly golden.

Once cooled slightly, whisk together the lemon juice and icing sugar to make a smooth glaze. Pour it over the rolls and leave it to set before serving.

Top Tips

• Use unwaxed lemons if possible for the freshest zest.
• Finely grate only the yellow part of the peel to avoid bitterness.
• Roll the dough tightly for neat, even swirls.
• Don’t skip the second rise—it gives the rolls their soft, fluffy texture.
• Glaze the rolls while they’re still slightly warm so some of the icing soaks in.

Variations

• Add a little vanilla extract to the glaze.
• Sprinkle poppy seeds into the filling for a lemon and poppy seed twist.
• Add fresh blueberries before rolling for lemon blueberry rolls.
• Finish with extra lemon zest over the glaze for even more citrus flavour.

Serving Suggestions

These vegan lemon rolls are perfect for:

• Weekend brunch
• Easter baking
• Mother’s Day treats
• Afternoon tea
• Spring and summer gatherings
• A light dessert with fresh berries

They’re especially delicious served warm with tea, coffee or a chilled glass of lemonade.

Storage

Store the lemon rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

They can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Warm them slightly before serving to refresh their soft texture.

FAQs

Recipes Similar to Vegan Lemon Roll Recipe

• Cinnamon Rolls
• Gluten Free Lemon and Blueberry Cupcakes
• Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

Lemon Rolls

Difficulty: Medium

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

2

hours 

Cooking time

35

minutes

Total time

2

hours 

35

minutes

A soft, ready centre with a lemon sugar filling and a zingy lemon glaze.

Ingredients

• For the Dough

• 2 Cups Soya Milk

• 1/2 Cup Melted Vegan Butter

• 2 1/2 tsp Instant Dried Yeast

• 5 1/2 Cups Plain Flour

• 1/4 Cup Caster Sugar

• 1 tsp Salt

• For the Filling

• 3/4 Cup Vegan Butter

• 3/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar

• Juice and Zest of 1 Lemon

• For the Topping

• Juice of One Lemon

• 1 Cup of Icing Sugar

Directions

• For the Dough
• In a large bowl mix the milk, melted vegan butter and sugar. Sprinkle on the the yeast and leave for 5 minutes.
• Add 5 cups of the flour (setting aside 1/2 cup for later) and the salt. Mix until combined and knead in a stand mixer for 5 minutes or by hand for 10. Cover the bowl and leave in a warm (but not hot) place for 1 hour until doubled in size.
• Add in the remaining 1/2 cup of flour and mix. Knead for a couple of minutes and let it sit for 5 minutes.
• Filling and Shaping
• Grease and line a rectangle baking tin (around 20x30cm).
• Roll the dough out on a clean, floured surface until it is about 1/2 cm thick and 30x40 cm.
• Spread the vegan butter over the entire surface of the dough, making sure you get to all the edges.
• Sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter and use a silicone spatula or spoon to spread it over the dough. It should combine with the butter and create a paste.
• Sprinkle over the lemon zest evenly over the butter and sugar. Drizzle on the lemon juice and use the spatula to spread it out, mixing it with the butter and sugar.
• Roll the dough up from the longer edge.
• Slice into 12 even pieces and place in the pre prepared baking tin with a bit of space between each roll.
• Cover the tin and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes. While you are waiting you can preheat the oven to 180ºc/350ºf.
• After the half hour has passed, uncover the cinnamon rolls and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes. Check on them after 30 minutes and leave them in for another 5 if they do not look too brown.
• Allow to cool.
• Topping
• Mix the lemon juice and icing sugar together, it should be a slightly runny consistency. If it's not runny add a drop of water at a time.
• Pour over the buns and leave to set.

Comments

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